Under
the auspices of the Mission and Ministry Division we welcome
over one hundred caring individuals who donate their time and energy
to help brighten
the lives of our patients. They also
provide support services in most of the medical center's departments.
This enables staff to work more efficiently, and caregivers to devote
more of their efforts to patient care.
Volunteers range in age from 16 to more than 90 years young and
are guided under the leadership of Carol Jaworski, VP for Mission
and Ministry.
A prominent part of the volunteer force belongs
to the department's Junior Volunteer Program for
16 to 17 year olds. The program includes high school students
who volunteer or complete their senior internship projects at the
medical center.
Physically and emotionally challenged individuals provide valuable
clerical services at the medical center. Our numbers continue to grow
in this area, and their performance is nothing short of outstanding.
They provide the medical center with needed assistance while simultaneously
learning new skills, building self-esteem, confidence, and good work
habits, as well as developing social skills.
This diverse group of individuals, who share a strong bond of caring,
travel to the medical center from towns all over central New Jersey.
Many of our volunteers have donated time and in return tell us they
have made new friends and come away with great feelings of satisfaction.
We
take time to discuss individual interests, goals, likes and dislikes
before placing anyone in a specific service area. Our enthusiastic
volunteers, who contributed 31,000 hours of service in 2007, are
volunteering in many areas around the medical center including Medical
Records, Information Desks, Physical Therapy, Courier,
Emergency Department, Outpatient Clinic, Inpatient Units, Food and
Nutrition, Pastoral Care, ACC Family Waiting Room, Educational
Resources and the Hospitality Cart.
